Christmas Gifts for Grandchildren From Grandparents: Screen-Free Ideas They'll Use Together

Every year grandparents ask the same question: what do you get grandkids who already have a closet full of toys? The answer that parents tend to thank you for is a gift the kids do, not one more thing they own. A screen-free activity they can share with siblings, cousins and you is the kind of Christmas present that gets used on Christmas Day and remembered after.

Here's how to choose one, with ideas sorted by age and by whether you'll be there in person.

What makes a good Christmas gift from grandparents

The best gifts from grandparents tend to have three things in common:

• They're shared. A gift several grandkids can enjoy together avoids the "why did she get one and I didn't" moment.
• They don't need a screen or batteries. Parents notice, and appreciate, a present that pulls kids off tablets for an afternoon.
• They come with time together. The present is the excuse; the hour spent side by side is the part everyone keeps.

Giant coloring sheets and word searches check all three. A 30"x50" coloring sheet covers a kitchen table, so four or five kids can color at once, and Grandpa can pull up a chair too.

For little grandkids (about ages 3 to 6)

Young kids want big pictures, simple shapes and something they can finish. The Christmas Bundle includes three 30"x50" table size coloring sheets: Gingerbread, Santa and Elves. That's one for Christmas Eve, one for Christmas morning and one for the slow days after.

For preschoolers still learning to hold a crayon, the Santa Trace and Color Coloring Sheet adds tracing practice to the fun, which parents of little ones like.

For grade-school grandkids (about ages 7 to 11)

This age loves a challenge and loves a movie they know by heart. A giant word search turns that into a group activity. Try The Polar Express Giant Word Search Puzzle or the Rudolph Giant Word Search Puzzle. Each one is 30"x44.5", and every word is verified correct, so no one ends up hunting for a word that isn't there.

Pair a word search with the movie for a grandparent movie night: watch it first, then race to find the names and places you just saw on screen.

For tweens and teens

Older grandkids can be the hardest to shop for, and they're often the first to say they're too old for coloring. A puzzle that challenges the adults too gets them back to the table. The Impossible 250 Christmas Version is a giant crossword with 250 answers, built for a whole family to work on over the holiday. It comes with a sealed answer sheet, so the stubborn ones can hold out until the very end.

The Home Alone Giant Word Search Puzzle is a lighter pick that teens and grandparents both grew up quoting.

If you live far away

Long-distance grandparents can still be part of the activity. A few ideas that work well:

1. Color it together on a video call. Order two of the same sheet, one shipped to you and one to the grandkids, and color your copies at the same time while you talk.
2. Ask for the finished sheet back. A completed giant coloring sheet signed by every grandkid makes a wonderful thing to hang in your hallway.
3. Start a tradition. Send a new Christmas sheet each year and ask for a photo of the kids with it. After a few years you have a record of how they've grown.

If you'll be there for Christmas

Bring the gift rolled up and give it a little early, before dinner, when the kids are restless and the kitchen is busy. Tape the corners to the table with painter's tape, put out a box of crayons or washable markers, and sit down with them. Skip permanent markers, which can bleed through the paper.

For a gift that lasts all month, the Christmas Activity Calendar Coloring Banner gives the kids a little to color every day of December. It's a nice one to hand over right after Thanksgiving.

Order in time for Christmas

To have your gift arrive before Christmas, place your order by Saturday, Dec 12.

Frequently asked questions

How big are the sheets?

Table size coloring sheets are 30"x50". Giant word searches and crosswords are 30"x44.5".

What should the kids color with?

Crayons, colored pencils and water-based markers all work well. Avoid permanent markers.

How do they ship?

The sheets ship rolled, which also makes them easy to wrap or tuck into a suitcase if you're traveling to see the grandkids.

Whichever you pick, it's a Christmas gift that gets the whole family around one table, and every sheet is made in the USA.